Such an event, banking on pingpong balls to supposedly determine the future of a franchise, rather than a simple coin flip. The lesson here is there really is no winning for losing. The Lakers’ 21-61 record, the most pathetic in franchise existence, only gets them so far in the 2015 NBA Draft. Sorry, but that’s only the fourth worst in the league this past season. Back-to-back lottery appearances doesn’t do much for the ego as well. With a 27-55 record after 2014, the Lakers had the sixth-worst record and a 6.3 percent for the No. 1 overall pick. They ended up with the seventh choice, settled on Kentucky’s Julius Randle and then … 21-61 happened. Even if the Lakers’ odds are a bit better for a No. 1 pick this time – 11.9 percent, weighted behind Minnesota, New York and Philadelphia – this 31st annual exercise to determine the summer draft order (this year it’s on June 25) may try to be transparent in how it operates, but it’s somewhat counterintuitive when you see how the numbers stack up. For all their ineptness, the Lakers seem just as likely to luck into picks No. 2 (12.6 percent) or No. 3 (13.3 percent) as No. 1 – or a 37.8 percent chance of getting a top three choice. Then there’s a dip involved for that No. 4 spot (9.85 percent) which you would think would be a natural higher percentage considering, well, they finished fourth. Actually, the odds favor landing at No. 5 (35 percent). There’s also a 17.3 percent chance they’ll land at either No. 6 or No. 7, which would meant they have to give the pick to the 76ers by virtue of a previous trade agreement. The only real thing current coach Byron Scott can do is show up, represent the team (sorry, no one from the Buss family is this daring) and sit among the other 13 hopefuls trying not to look too desperate.

NO. 2: NBA PLAYOFFS: CONFERENCE FINALS:

WESTERN CONFERENCE: HOUSTON vs. GOLDEN STATE

Details/TV: Game 1 at Oakland: Tuesday, 6 p.m., ESPN:

EASTERN CONFERENCE: CLEVELAND vs. ATLANTA

Details/TV: Game 1 at Atlanta, Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., TNT:

Is can’t be the Final Four you had in your bracket, right? James Harden, Dwight Howard, Steph Curry and LeBron James have the stage. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have to find a local bar.

NO. 3: NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

DUCKS vs. CHICAGO

Details/TV: Game 2, Honda Center, Tuesday, 6 p.m., NBCS:

Key stat in the postseason so far for Anaheim: It’s 6-0 at home after Sunday’s Game 1 triumph. The series moves to Chicago for Game 3 (Thursday, 5 p.m., NBCS) and Game 4 (Saturday, 5 p.m., Ch. 4). Meanwhile, the N.Y. Rangers, up one game on the Tampa Bay Lightning, have the Eastern Conference Finals continuing with Game 2 on Monday in New York (5 p.m., NBCS), then to Tampa Bay for Game 3 (Wednesday, 5 p.m., NBCS) and Game 4 (Friday, 5 p.m., NBCS) and back to New York for a possible Game 5 (Sunday, 5 p.m., NBCS).

NO. 4: MLB: DODGERS at SAN FRANCISCO

Details/TV: Tuesday-Thursday, SportsNet L.A.:

Too soon? A third Clayton Kershaw vs. Madison Bumgarner matchup this season lines up for Thursday’s 12:45 p.m. start. Bumgarner (4-2, 3.20) outlasted Kershaw (2-2, 4.24) in a 2-1 win at Dodger Stadium on April 28. They each had a no decision in the Giants’ 3-2 win on April 22.

Victories in the weekend’s Italian Open by Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic must give them some momentum heading into the second major of the year. Djokovic’s win over Roger Federer in Rome means he hasn’t lost on clay yet in 2015. Rafael Nadal is the five-time defending champ at Roland Garros and winner in nine of the last 10 events, however, defeating Djokovic in the 2014 final. Yet his loss to Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals in Italy could hurt his seeding. He fell to No. 7 in the world rankings after losses to Djokovic and Andy Murray recently on clay. Sharapova returns as the defending women’s champ, going in as the seventh seed a year ago.

NO. 6: AUTO RACING:

INDYCAR SERIES: 99th INDIANAPOLIS 500:

Details/TV: At Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, 9 a.m., Ch. 7:

FORMULA ONE: 73rd GRAND PRIX OF MONACO

Details/TV: At Monte Carlo, Sunday, 4:30 a.m., Ch. 4:

NASCAR SPRINT CUP: COCA-COLA 600:

Details/TV: At Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, 3 p.m., Ch. 11

The world’s greatest day of auto racing. Rev up your DVRs. Long Beach Grand Prix winner Scott Dixon has the pole at Indianapolis.

NO. 7: MLB: DODGERS vs. SAN DIEGO

Details/TV: At Dodger Stadium, Friday-Sunday:

The Adrian Gonzalez bobblehead giveaway on Saturday may sting for those who notice that it a promotion sponsored by Time Warner Cable.

Games on Friday and Saturday at 7:10 p.m., game on Sunday is 1:10 p.m.

NO. 8: MLB: ANGELS at BOSTON

Details/TV: Friday-Sunday, FSW, Fox:

Hanley Ramirez hasn’t made Fenway Park fans forget Manny Ramirez quite yet. The Red Sox’s attempt to make Hanley patrol a left-field area that Manny once had to navigate in contending with the Green Monster has been a work in progress. Ramirez left a game recently when he hurt his shoulder while banging into the wall in foul territory. But then, during batting practice before a game in April, he hit a ball so hard that it left a hole in the padding of the center-field wall near the 379 foot sign just to the right of the Monster.

Friday’s game is at 4:10 p.m. (FSW), Saturday’s game is at 4:15 p.m. (Ch. 11); Sunday’s game at 10:35 a.m. (FSW). The Angels’ 10-game road trip ends Sunday.

NO. 9: MLB: ANGELS at TORONTO

Details/TV: Monday-Thursday, FSW:

The 10:07 a.m. first pitch on Monday is all because of a statutory holiday in Canada known as Victoria Day. It recognizes the birth of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom who reigned from 1837 to 1901 – the longest-reigning monarch in the country’s history. In the U.S., Monday is also “Visit Your Relatives Day,” “No Dirty Dishes Day,” and “International Museum Day.” The rest of the four-game series starts at 4:07 p.m. each day.

NO. 10: MLS: GALAXY vs. HOUSTON:

Details/TV: At StubHub Center, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Univision Deportes:

Sunday might be “Championship Sunday” in the English Premier League. But this is what we’ve got to match that on this U.S. pitch.

Cormier, a two-time U.S. Olympian wrestler, goes up against Johnson for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship in one co-main event. In the other, current middleweight champ Weidman takes on top contender Belfort.

Tom Hoffarth is a freelancer. He had been with the Daily News/Southern California News Group since 1992 as a general assignment sports reporter, columnist and specialist in the sports media. He has been honored by the Associated Press for sports columnists and honored by the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association for his career work. His favorite sportscaster of all time: Vin Scully, for professional and personal reasons. He considers watching Zenyatta win the Breeders' Cup 2009 Classic to be the most memorable sporting event he has covered in his career. Go figure that.

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